New TV shows: Some good, bad and ugly

October 19, 2013

The new television season is here and with it, of course, some new programs. Have not had time to watch the new dramas, but after watching a few of the comedies, my opinion is, for the most part, blech.

"We Are Men" was canceled after two airings but it still baffles me how it made the schedule in the first place. The show's stars - Tony Shaloub and Jerry O'Connell - are both talented guys, but wow, the show was a thudding bomb. It was, well to be kind, unfunny.

OK. Painfully unfunny.

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I?attempted to watch "Mom" Monday night because its stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney, who are all kinds of awesome, but was totally put off by its tone. While I realize each of us has some damage from our childhood, this program takes any fun out of dysfunction. The women are both recovering alcoholics, which actually could, with the right writers, be the premise for some funny/poignant/crazy humor. That part did not bother me.

What did make me feel creepy was this: an adult woman talking to her mother about sex in the tacky words this script presented. Ewwww. Just gross.

Pushing the envelope is fine. Spitting in the envelope? Not so much.

Now you might think me a hypocrite because "Sex and The City" and its raunchy humor made me roar. But there's a big difference, for me at least, in talking about sex with one's peers versus one's parents.

A comedy that was a bit better - at least the episode I saw - was "The Crazy Ones," which marks the return to weekly television of Robin Williams. He was darn good, but his on-screen daughter, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, was the highlight of the show for me.

Being the grounded one is the tougher job, but Gellar seemed to be ready for the task. That show I will watch again.

"The Millers" features the divine Will Arnett, Margo Martindale and Beau Bridges, and unfortunately, fart jokes and people treating each other shabbily presented for laughs. But the laughs weren't really there no matter how much effort the acting trio gave.

Makes me rather sad that such talent is foundering in a "family" comedy about people I would hate to have over for Thanksgiving dinner.

Now, I haven't given up hope as there are some new comedies which I have not had the chance to catch yet.

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" has the hilarious Andy Samberg and that gives me reason to think it might be all right.

"The Michael J. Fox Show" has ... you know who ... and he's an actor I adore, so that's on the sampling list.

Sean Hayes was awesome on "Will & Grace" so I certainly want to give "Sean Saves the World" a try.

Are there any new comedies you'd recommend? Drop me a line and tell me what you have liked and believe is worthy of a viewer's time.